Former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, and the senator representing Enugu North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Okey Ezea, have revisited the call for the creation of Adada State, to be carved out of the present Enugu State.

The duo made their case recently in Enugu during the Senate’s South East Zonal Public Hearing on the review of the 1999 Constitution, where the Nwodo, a former Minister of Information, argued that Adada was long overdue, stressing that it was the only state recommended for creation in the 2014 National Conference, chaired by Justice Idris Kutigi.

Nwodo, in his remarks, traced the agitation for Adada State back to the early 1970s, during the administration of General Yakubu Gowon.

He said the zone, comprising the old Nsukka Province, had remained marginalised since independence, lacking even a state capital despite its population and resources.

“Adada is the most agitated state in Nigeria that remains denied, even after every other province in the country has been awarded with states, except for Nsukka province,” Nwodo said.

He maintained that the old Nsukka area has never had a state capital, while the southern parts of Igboland enjoy three.

“There are several reasons for the creation of Adada State. One, in the South East, during the last creation of states, the northern part of Igbo comprising Enugu and Ebonyi ended up with two states, while the southern parts got three. When you share things among your children and there is no equity, you bring anger and desperation.”

Nwodo also lamented what he described as gross underrepresentation and injustice in constituency distribution.

He argued that the creation of Adada would address both internal and regional imbalances within Igboland.

“The creation of Adada State will resolve the internal imbalance in Igboland, giving the northern Igbo (Wawa people) three states to match the three in the south. It will also bring the South East at par with other regions that already have six states,” Ugwu said.

He called on the National Assembly to expedite the process.

“So, what we are saying is that having met the provision of Section 8(1) of the 1999 Constitution, the next thing is that our request should be sent to INEC for referendum,” he said.